Courier training at Tate

Summary This paper describes an in-house training programme for art couriers at Tate, London, that has been running since 1999. The role of a Tate courier is considered in the context of the extensive art movement necessary to sustain the institution's busy public programme at four disperse sites and the need to transport works from it's offsite store. The training aims to create a network of well briefed couriers, who are able to step outside their normal discipline and be confident in dealing with areas they are not involved with day to day. The training does not aim to present a set of rules but to establish and explore principles that can be applied to a range of situations, and to further the understanding of procedures in place that give a degree of standardization and allow Tate to cope with its display demands. It is hoped that this paper might provide some ideas for those interested in devising a training programme tailored to their individual needs.